100 Ways to Simplify Your Life

particular moment I thought I did. Why did I feel that way? I
had just finished doing thirteen conferences in thirteen
weekends and I was burned out. I needed a change of pace,

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some variety and rest. When I got it, I felt totally back to
normal and ready to go again.
Burnout doesn't happen overnight. If you find yourself
extra cranky, dragging into work and leaving early, caring
less about what used to be really important, or feeling
physically sick though there's not a clear diagnosis of what
may be wrong with you, you may be experiencing
symptoms of burnout. Some people ignore the warning
signs and keep pushing until their burnout is so bad they
never recover. They give up on things God truly intended
them to do simply because they were not realistic about
their own needs. The simple way to live is to pace yourself
so you can accomplish a lot in life and not get derailed
through burnout.
72
Cultivate Solitude
"I love people. I love my family, my children . . . but
inside myself is a place where I live all alone and that's
where you renew your springs that never dry up."
-- PEARL S. BUCK
My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, in safe
dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.
--Isaiah 32:18
Being alone and enjoying quiet time is very healing to
our souls. Everyone needs regular time to reflect and allow
the soul to quiet down. Your mind needs to rest; it needs to
experience the peace found in solitude. Emotions need time
to settle and level out. They need time to recover from daily
life. When we feel weary and as if we cannot go on, solitude
helps us find the determination we need to finish our course
with joy.
Jesus regularly went off by Himself into the mountains to
be alone. He was refreshed and strengthened through
solitude. In the quiet, we hear from God, and we are
reassured of the direction He wants us to take in life.

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Without solitude, my life can get absolutely crazy.
Nothing makes sense and I can feel overwhelmed by
everyone's expectations. I don't know when to say yes and
when to say no. My mind is confused, my emotions are on a
rollercoaster, and I frequently want to run away. But after a
little quiet time--some time, alone, in prayer and meditation-
-everything changes. I find wisdom and direction in the
times of solitude.
I absolutely love solitude and the peace I find in those
times. They prepare me for the rest of life. Make the effort
to carve out time in your day, week, or even month to find
some solitude. Get up extra early and watch the sun come
up with God. Find a quiet spot at a park and enjoy the
beauty of God's creation. Whatever you do, I urge you to
cultivate solitude because it is truly where you find the
answers to a simple life that can be enjoyed.
73
Be Eternally Minded
"Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at
earth and you get neither."
--C. S. L EWIS
And set your minds and keep them set on what is above
(the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.
--Colossians 3:2
So many people are only concerned with today or a few
months down the road. At best, some are concerned with
retirement. We think and plan in temporal terms, and God
thinks and plans in eternal terms. We are more interested in
what "feels good" right now, what produces immediate
results. God has an eternal purpose planned for our lives.
One way to simplify our lives is to stop planning every
aspect of our temporal lives and trust God as He guides us
day by day. When we follow God He leads us to do not only
what is best for right now, but also what is best for eternity.
God sees and understands what we don't. He wants us to
trust Him and His perfect timing.

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If we keep our focus on the bigger--eternal--picture, we
can eliminate a lot of the time we waste on worry over what
isn't happening the way we believe it should. Wanting to
know everything ahead of time is just our way of taking care
of ourselves. Give up reasoning and enjoy the beautiful,
simple, powerful life God has waiting for you; as well as the
eternal blessings that come from trusting His will for our
lives.
74
Tackle Each Day as It Comes
"Live neither in the past nor in the future, but let each
day's work absorb your entire energies, and satisfy your
widest ambition."
-- SIR WILLIAM OSLER
Therefore I always exercise and discipline myself
[mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily
appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects]
to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of
offense toward God and toward men.
--Acts 24:16
Duties we ignore can pile up and soon feel
overwhelming, but daily discipline keeps us in a place to
handle life peaceably. God's Word states no discipline for the
present seems joyous, but later on it yields the peaceable
fruit of righteousness (see Hebrews 12:11). In other words,
it may be a challenge and require discipline to do what is
right now, but the knowledge we have done what we were
supposed to do is what gives us peace.
A little daily discipline protects us from suddenly finding
we have more to do than is humanly possible. If we put
things off that need to be done now, that does not prevent
them from needing to be done. It only adds today's duties to
tomorrow; and day after day, things pile up and soon life is
so confusing, frustrating, and overwhelming, we get
depressed and discouraged.

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Discipline means we must frequently say no to the fleshly
desire to put things off that need to be done now. The
apostle Paul said, "I die daily." He did not mean he daily
experienced physical death, but he did say no to himself
regularly if what he desired did not agree with what the Holy
Spirit was leading him to do.
If your discipline muscles are weak from lack of use, I
recommend you begin getting them in shape today. They
may hurt and feel sore at first, but soon you will be enjoying
a peaceful, simple life.
75
Remember That God Is for You
"If our confidence in God had to depend upon our
confidence in any human person, we would be on shifting
sand."
-- FRANCIS SCHAEFFER
God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever
true to His promise, and He can be depended on).
--1 Corinthians 1:9
Statistics prove that 10 percent of the people we
encounter will not like us. There is nothing we can do about
it, except worry, but even that won't change their minds.
The truth is, God is for us and since He is so mighty and
awesome, it really does not matter all that much who is
against us (see Romans 8:31). Think about who is on your
side, not who is against you. There are many people who do
love and accept you and it is much more enjoyable to keep
your mind on them. We should practice meditating on what
we do have, not what we are missing. We do have God. He
promises never to leave us or forsake us, so we are never
without Him. He is more than enough.
When you hear someone does not like you or is unhappy
with you, don't let this information upset you. Stay focused
on Jesus; He's your best friend, anyway.
If you are facing a tremendous challenge right now, one
you feel is too much for you, take a moment and say these

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words out loud: "God is for me, and since He is for me, I can
do whatever I need to do in life."
The Holy Spirit walks alongside us. He is the Standby, the
Helper we can always rely on in life. You are never alone!
76
You Are More than a Conqueror
"Make me a captive, Lord, And then I shall be free. Force
me to render up my sword, And I shall conqueror be."
-- GEORGE MATHESON
Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors
and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.
--Romans 8:37 f we begin believing life is too much for us
and adopt a "give-up" attitude, we make a big mistake and
buy into a lie. The truth is, we are more than conquerors
through Christ Who loves us (see Romans 8:37). To me,
being more than a conqueror means I know when I begin a
trial that I will have the victory. We don't have to worry or be
afraid--God is on our side and we are more than conquerors.
We may feel like David in the Bible, standing before Goliath
with nothing more than a slingshot, but we have the
assurance of God that He is standing with us.
There is nothing in creation--no problem too big that can
separate us from the love of God found in Jesus--if we don't
allow it. When you feel overwhelmed, say, "God loves me
and I am more than a conqueror through Him." Don't believe
the devil's lies when he tries to tell you that you are not
going to make it this time. Stop right now and purposely
recall other victories you have had in the past. There have
been other times when you probably felt you couldn't go on
and yet you are still here. That is a testimony in itself. You
are an overcomer!
Be careful how you talk during difficulty because your
words affect you. They can strengthen or weaken you
depending on what kind of words they are. Be positive.
Think victory. Believe God, working in you, is enabling you to

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do anything you must. This God-kind-of-attitude helps you
enjoy life at all times.
77 Pray Before
You Have an Emergency
"Prayer is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is
of life."
-- JONATHAN EDWARDS
Let my prayer come before You and really enter into Your
presence; incline Your ear to my cry!
--Psalm 88:2
The apostle Paul thanked God for giving him the needed
strength to handle every situation in life. I believe he did so
as a matter of habit, and not necessarily because he had an
emergency. Praying ahead of time gets us the help we need
even before we need it. It shows we depend on God and
trust Him to take care of things we do not even know about
yet.
The way we release our faith is through prayer. Don't
wait until you need faith to try and develop it. It may be too
late then. Develop and release your faith before you're in a
situation that requires it. Each morning, I pray God will help
me with the day. I don't even know yet what the day will
bring. I have plans all the time, but things happen every day
we have not planned, and I want to be ready for them and
not taken by surprise. I ask God to release the angels that
are assigned to me, to go ahead of me and prepare my way.
"You have not because you ask not" (see James 4:2) so why
wait until you have problems? Why not pray early and have
the help you are going to need already waiting for you?
Praying before you have an emergency is like putting
money in the bank. If you have money set aside, then a car
problem you were not expecting does not need to upset
you. You have provided a way to continue living a simple,
joy-filled life before you experienced a need. Start today
getting some prayers in reserve. Fill up your prayer tank and
you will avoid constantly living in crisis mode.

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78
Keep Your Conscience Clear
"If we put off repentance another day, we have a day
more to repent of, and a day less to repent in"
-- ANONYMOUS
But if your eye is unsound, your whole body will be full of
darkness. If then the very light in you [your conscience] is
darkened, how dense is that darkness!
--Matthew 6:23
We should, at all times, strive to have a conscience void
of offense toward God and man. Nothing complicates life
like a guilty conscience. It pressures us and prevents us
from truly enjoying anything. We may try to ignore it, but it
is always whispering to us and reminding us we have not
done what is right.
There are only two ways to live with a clear conscience.
The first is to do what is right; and if we fail in that, we move
to the second choice, which is to be quick to repent, to
admit our sins, and to ask for God's forgiveness--and man's
if necessary. We should determine to do our best in life; it is
only then we will feel better about everything. We may still
fail, but at least we have the comfort of knowing we did not
fail on purpose.
A guilty conscience hinders our faith and worship. It
actually puts a stumbling block between us and God until it
is removed. When we sin against other people, we will feel
guilty when we are with them until we resolve the situation
by apologizing. Don't live with a guilty conscience. It puts a
dark cloud over everything and you cannot truly enjoy life.
There is no harder pillow than a guilty conscience. We
will toss and turn at night if our conscience is condemning
us and we try to ignore it. Take some time to examine your
heart. Are there people in your life to whom you aren't
speaking? Are there others you have wronged? Are there
misunderstandings or hard feelings you need to put to rest
with a friend? Take an honest self-examination of yourself

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and work to remedy those broken relationships. Your
conscience will thank you and God will be proud of you.
79
Understand Righteousness
"He who created you without you will not justify you
without you."
-- ST AUGUSTINE
The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the
peoples see His glory.
--Psalm 97:6
Some people have an overactive conscience. They feel
guilty as a matter of habit, and not necessarily because they
have truly done something wrong. The way to overcome this
problem is to study what the Bible has to say about
righteousness. If you don't understand the God-kind of
righteousness, then you will spend your life trying to earn
your own righteousness through good works.
It is important to understand the difference in your "who"
and your "do." My children may not always do what I want,
but they never stop being my children and I never stop
loving them. God is the same way, only better. God gives us
right standing with Him when we receive Jesus as our Savior
(see 2 Corinthians 5:21). He "imputes" it to us, or credits it
to our account (see Romans 4:11). He views us as righteous,
which is the only standing acceptable to God. It is the only
way we can fellowship with Him, because light cannot
fellowship with darkness.
Since God in His mercy has made us righteous, we can
learn to manifest right behavior. It is a process that takes
time, but gradually we improve in how we behave. Our "do"
improves. However, while it is improving, it is vital for us to
remember "who" we are in Christ. We are God's child; He
loves us and understands us. We are no huge surprise to
Him. He knew all about us when He invited us into
relationship with Him.

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Understanding the biblical doctrine of righteousness will
greatly simplify your life because, without it, you will always
feel bad about yourself for one reason or another. Guilty
feelings are very complicated and not easy to live with. Put
on the simple garment of righteousness and start really
living the life Jesus purchased for you through His death and
resurrection.
80
Grace, Grace, and More Grace
"Our worst days are never so bad that you are beyond
the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so
good that you are beyond the need of God's grace."
-- JERRY BRIDGES
But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy
Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is
why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and
haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those
who are humble enough to receive it).
--James 4:6
Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit offered to us free of
charge, enabling us to do with ease what we could never do
alone with any amount of struggle and effort. Scripture
encourages us to receive not only grace but more grace.
Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound (see
Romans 5:20). God has enough grace to meet all our needs,
but we need to ask for it and learn to live in it.
When we attempt works of the flesh, we use up our own
energy trying to do what only God can do. Works of the flesh
produce frustration and work in direct opposition to grace.
We really cannot live with a little of each because they
cancel each other out. Each time I feel frustrated I remind
myself I am not receiving grace (God's energy) for the task
at hand.
Frustration, complication, and misery are available in
abundance, but so is God's grace. We are to humble
ourselves under His mighty hand because only the humble

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get help. God helps those who humble themselves and
admit they cannot do what needs to be done without His
help.
Grace meets our evil tendencies (see James 4:6). It is the
only thing that can change us into what God desires us to
be, and He desires us to be like Him. Your life can be greatly
simplified by learning how to receive grace in every
situation. Without it, we all labor with life and everything
becomes hard, difficult, and usually impossible.
81
Bridle Your Tongue
"Men are born with two eyes, but only one tongue, in
order that they should see twice as much as they say."
-- CHARLES CALEB COLTON
Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking
deceit.
--Psalm 34:13

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Put a restraint on your tongue and stop going through life
saying whatever be religious (piously observant of the
external duties of his faith) and does service is worthless"
(James 1:26). You want to say whenever you want to say it.
"If anyone thinks himself to not bridle his tongue but
deludes his own heart, this person's religious are in the
world who do not bridle their tongue. They speak in
negative
Ponder that scripture and think about how many
"religious" people there terms all the time; they gossip,
criticize, judge, murmur, complain, and curse. They go to
church but use no discipline in what they say. The Bible
makes it very clear their religious service is worthless.
A lot of our problems are rooted in our own words. The
power of life and death is in the tongue, and we must be
satisfied with the result of our words (see Proverbs 18:21). I
urge you to be careful about what you say. Anyone who
never offends in speech is a perfect man, able to control his
whole body, curb his nature, and, I believe, affect his
destiny (see James 3:2).
Are you dissatisfied with your life right now? Perhaps you
have now what you have said in the past. Are you ready to
offer your mouth to God to be used in His service? If you
are, then I believe you are on the road to a better life.
82
The Battle Belongs to the Lord
"We shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God
who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will
raise up friends to fight our battles for us."
-- PATRICK HENRY
The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace
and remain at rest.
--Exodus 14:14
Complication is often the result of not trusting God to
fight our battles for us. The Israelites were between the Red
Sea and the Egyptian army, which was a frightening place to

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be. They were crying and wanting to run away but God sent
a message through Moses saying, "The Lord will fight for
you and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest."
When three armies came against Jehoshaphat and the
people, their first inclination was to be afraid. But they
intentionally set themselves apart to seek God, and He told
them, "Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for
the battle is not yours, but God's" (2 Chronicles 20:15).
How do you see battles; are they yours or God's?
Remember, it is not what happens in life that makes it so
complicated, but it is the way we approach what happens
that stirs up stress and strife. It is the mind-set we embrace
which determines whether or not we experience peace or
turmoil.
When Jehoshaphat began worshiping God, he sent
singers out to sing and others were appointed to praise.
Soon the armies became confused and slaughtered one
another. Do you want to live in confusion, or would you
rather confuse the enemy? Begin to worship, praise, and
sing, and do it, especially, when you have a problem. God
will fight your battles for you and you can continue enjoying
your life while you wait for His victory.
83
Avoid Scenes of Temptation
"When you flee temptation, don't leave a forwarding
address."
--ANONYMOUS
All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be
cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not
come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh is weak.
--Matthew 26:41
I suppose all of us wish we were never tempted to do
wrong things, but that is not reality. The Bible says
temptation must come, but why? If we were never tempted
to do wrong, we could never exercise our free will to do

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right. God does not want robots or puppets serving Him; He
wants free people who choose to serve Him. He sets before
us life and death and urges us to choose life (see
Deuteronomy 30:19).
The moment you feel tempted to do wrong, say no and
get away from the temptation. If you had a problem with
alcohol in the past, don't go to the bars planning not to
drink alcohol. If you had a problem with drugs and were
delivered, don't spend the day with people who use drugs. If
you tend to abuse sweets, don't keep cookies, candy, and
cake in the house.
Sometimes we say we don't want to do something and
we pray for God to deliver us, yet we continue making
provision for that very thing which tempts us. Perhaps the
truth is we really don't want to be free as much as we say
we do. We must be honest with ourselves and realize the
flesh is weak.
The apostle Paul said to "make no provision for
[indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil
cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires
(lusts)" (Romans 13:14). Get it off your mind and out of your
sight and you are more likely to avoid temptation.
84
Avoid People Who Talk Too Much "Whoever gossips to you
will gossip about you."
-- SPANISH PROVERB
He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
therefore associate not with him who talks too freely.
--Proverbs 20:19
People who talk too much usually have problems in which
you are wise not to take part; therefore, avoiding these
people helps simplify our lives.
When people have no discipline over their mouths, they
usually lack discipline in other areas as well. It is best for us
if we are in close relationship with people who will urge us to
come up higher in our choices. Spending excessive time

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with, and opening your heart to, those who pull you down in
life is not wise at all. Think about who your friends are and
start really listening to them, because you can tell a lot
about a person's character by listening to what they say.
Avoid people who gossip. If they gossip about someone else
to you, they will gossip about you too.
When people talk too freely, they often don't do what
they said they would do simply because they did not count
the cost before making the commitment. They will
disappoint you over and over again. You will be frustrated,
but you may be the only one who can simplify that area of
your life by avoiding those people. I am not suggesting we
be rude to anyone, but we cannot let people mess up our
lives just to keep them from getting their feelings hurt.
One of the best things you can do is choose your friends
wisely. Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it flow
the issues of life (see Proverbs 4:23). I have greatly
simplified my life by making a few adjustments concerning
the people with whom I spend my time.
85
Be Generous
"All my experience in the world teaches me that in
ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, the safe and just side of
a question is the generous and merciful side."
-- ANNA JAMESON
There are those who [generously] scatter abroad, and yet
increase more; there are those who withhold more than is
fitting or what is justly due, but it results only in want. The
liberal person shall be enriched, and he who waters shall
himself be watered.
--Proverbs 11:24-25
One of the wisest things anyone can do is be generous.
When we help other people, we really help ourselves even
more. To experience the joy of giving is what I call real
living. Greed steals life, but generosity releases it along with
amazing joy. I spent many unhappy years being selfish and

---

concerned about what I could get out of life. As I cried out to
God, asking Him to show me what was wrong in my life, one
of the things He taught me was how I needed to be more
generous instead of stingy.
I encourage you to look for opportunities to be a blessing
to others. Be aggressively generous! Don't just give when
you feel you have to, but always do more than required. Go
the extra mile as the Bible teaches.
I heard the story of a woman who was terribly depressed.
She went to her pastor for counseling and he told her to go
home and bake three batches of cookies and give them
away that week and come back the following week for
another appointment. The woman never returned, but one
Sunday after church the pastor saw her and asked why she
did not return for her appointment. She told him she got so
happy when she started baking cookies and giving them
away she got over her depression.
Depression can be caused by a number of things, but I
believe one of them is being self-centered and stingy. Do all
you can, as often as you can, for as many people as you
can, and you will be much happier. Believe it or not, being
generous is much simpler than being selfish.
86
Be Wise
"Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
-- ALFRED LORD TENNYSON
Hear instruction and be wise, and do not refuse or
neglect it.
--Proverbs 8:33
The Bible says wisdom is pleasure and relaxation to a
man of understanding (see Proverbs 10:23). Wisdom is
choosing to do now what you will be happy with later on. For
example, wisdom does not spend all of its money now, but it
saves some for the future, knowing it is wise to do so.
Wisdom doesn't put off today's work until tomorrow because

---

it knows it will then have two days of work to do in one.
Wisdom is not a procrastinator; it takes action.
If you want to simplify your life, you must think about the
future and realize the choices you make today will affect
tomorrow. Some people are never able to relax and enjoy
life because every day they deal with messes resulting from
not walking in wisdom. I frequently hear people say, "I know
I shouldn't do this, but . . . !" It is foolish to do things we
know we should not do when we do them. How can anyone
expect to get a right result if they already know they are
making a wrong decision? They are gambling on things
turning out right anyway, but wisdom does not gamble, it
invests. Doing the right things now may not bring pleasure
right away, but it does later on. Some people pay a high
price for a cheap thrill, but you can make a decision right
now to not be one of them.
We possibly make a million decisions in our lifetime, and
the wiser they are, the better our lives will be. Simplifying
your life requires that you really think about your decisions
before you make them. As you contemplate a decision
you're making today, ask yourself if you truly believe you
will be happy with the results of that decision later in life. If
you can't say yes, then maybe it's time to rethink that
decision.
87
Beware of Distractions
"By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one
may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination."
-- CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
Then the cares and anxieties of the world and
distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and
false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving
and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke
and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.
--Mark 4:19

---

We often look at the devil as the author of our
destruction, but he is actually more the author of our
distraction. If he can distract us from our God-given
purpose, he can cause us to bear no good fruit in life. God is
glorified when we bear good fruit so, obviously, the devil
wants to do anything he can to prevent that.
It is easy to get distracted in life; it is not something we
have to try to do. We do, however, need to really discipline
ourselves in order not to get distracted. Each person has
many demands and expectations placed on them. It seems
every person in our life expects something, and quite often,
we find it confusing to know when to say yes and when to
say no. Our spouses, friends, parents, children, other
relatives, 
employers, 
government, 
churches, 
and
neighborhood all expect us to do different things. It can be
overwhelming and tiring.
While trying to meet all of these expectations, we
frequently find they distract us from our main goal, which is
following the will of God. If you are a people pleaser, then
you know it is not difficult at all for the devil to distract you.
He can easily lead you to dissatisfied people, and cause you
to spend your life trying to make them happy. I finally
realized a lot of the people I was trying to keep happy had
already decided they were not going to be happy no matter
what anyone did. They were basically miserable,
dissatisfied, unhappy, and being used by the devil to make
me unhappy.
The Bible teaches us not to get entangled or distracted,
but to focus on Jesus (see Hebrews 12:2). Remember, the
more you focus on the truly important things in your life, the
simpler life will be.
88
Don't Be Easily Offended
"His heart was like a sensitive plant, that opens for a
moment in the sunshine, but curls up and shrinks into itself

---

at the slightest touch of the finger, or the lightest breath of
wind."
-- ANNE BRONTE
Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man
be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to
take offense and to get angry.
--James 1:19
Awise
person ignores an insult. I once heard a story about Kathryn Kuhlman,
a woman with a very wonderful miracle ministry. Anyone in the public eye will
inevitably deal with people who judge, criticize, and even say and publish things
about them that are not true. This happened to Miss Kuhlman frequently, but
she refused to get offended because she knew it would be harmful to her
relationship with God. She also realized taking and holding on to offense would
steal her joy and would not do her any good at all.
God promises to be our vindicator if we will do things His
way, and His way is to forgive. People often asked Miss
Kuhlman how she could be friendly with people who said
such ugly things about her and she responded by saying,
"Oh, we are just going to pretend that never happened."
Has someone hurt your feelings recently? Are you
offended? Do you need to forgive someone?
If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then I
highly recommend you do what the Bible says to do. Pray
for your enemies, bless, and do not curse them. Make a
decision to forgive and trust God to heal your wounded
emotions. If you see the person who hurt you, do your best
to be friendly and treat them the way you honestly believe
God would. The quicker you forgive, the less likely you are
to get a root of bitterness in your heart, and the simpler
your life will be.
89
Don't Be So Hard on Yourself
"Lay down the bat, and pick up a feather."
-- ANONYMOUS
Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle
(meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest

---

(relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed
quiet) for your souls.
--Matthew 11:29
Are you quick to judge and criticize yourself? If so, I
highly recommend you read Matthew 11:28-30. Jesus said
He is not harsh, hard, sharp, and pressing; but He is humble,
gentle, meek, and lowly. If God is not hard on us, then we
don't need to be so hard on ourselves. Do you need a
second chance? God gave Jonah one, and He gave Peter
one, so why wouldn't He be willing to give you one too?
Ask Him for a second chance or a third, fourth, fifth, or
whatever you need. God is full of mercy and He is long-
suffering. His loving-kindness never fails or comes to an
end. If we keep an account of all our shortcomings and
failures, we will feel oppressed. Jesus came to lift burdens,
but we must be willing to believe He is greater than our
mistakes. I don't believe God is nearly as hard to please as
we often think. After all, we are no surprise to Him. He knew
all about each of us before He ever invited us into
relationship with Him. If your life seems complicated, then
perhaps you are simply too hard on yourself. Give yourself a
break. Perhaps, if you receive more mercy from God for
yourself, you will be able to extend mercy to others also.
God sees your heart and is always willing to work with
anyone who refuses to give up. Keep pressing on and
remember to let go of what is in the past. That may be the
past of ten years ago or even five minutes ago. The point is,
if it is past then you have to let it go and press on.
90
It Is Never Too Late to Begin Again
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single
moment before starting to improve the world."
-- ANNE FRANK
It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that
we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail

---

not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is
Your stability and faithfulness.
--Lamentations 3:22-23
Hopelessness is a burden none of us needs to endure
because, with God, it is never too late to begin again. He is
the God of new beginnings. Jonah went in the opposite
direction of the one God instructed, but God let him have a
fresh start once he admitted his mistake.
It is never too late to pray and ask for God's help and
forgiveness. The devil wants us to feel hopeless. He loves
words like "never" and "the end." He says, "This is the end
of everything. You have messed up and can never overcome
your bad choices." We must remember to look to God's
Word for truth, because the devil is a liar.
The Bible is filled with stories about people who
experienced new beginnings. Receiving Jesus as our Savior
is the ultimate new beginning. We become new creatures
with an opportunity to learn a new way of living. The Bible
even says in Ephesians 4:23 that we must be constantly
renewed in our minds and attitudes. If you ever thought or
displayed an attitude thinking it was too late for you to have
a good life, good relationships, or hope for the future, then
you need to renew your mind right away. Choose to think
according to God's Word and not how you feel. Nobody is a
failure unless they choose to stop trying. Life gets a lot
sweeter and easier if we live with the attitude that says, "I
will do my best today and I trust God will do the rest.
Tomorrow I will begin again and I will never quit or give up."
91
Become like a Little Child
"Faith is unutterable trust in God, trust which never
dreams that He will not stand by us."
-- OSWALD CHAMBERS
In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You Lord,
alone make me dwell in safety and confident trust.
--Psalm 4:8

---

If you want a simpler life, you must learn to develop a
more trusting life. Far too often, we don't allow ourselves to
trust. We don't trust our spouses, we don't trust our kids,
and if we're honest, many times we don't really trust God to
do what He says He will.
Children usually don't have this problem of distrust.
That's why they climb and hang from the highest tree
branches, run full steam down steep hills, and jump off high-
diving boards into the waiting arms of their parents. They
trust their parents to be there to catch them, or at least pick
them up if they fall. That's the same kind of trust God wants
from us.
The person who trusts God knows even if things don't go
the way he hopes, God will have a better plan than he did
anyway. God has the future all planned out, and He knows
the answer to everything. His Word promises us He will take
care of us if we trust in Him (see Psalm 37:5).
When we don't allow ourselves to trust God, we allow
fear and worry to come in and take up residence in our lives.
However, by placing our trust in Him, we remove those
doubts; we can look to God and trust in His faithfulness and
be confident He will not let us down or disappoint us. If we
don't actively give our trust to God, we will carry burdens
we were never meant to bear alone.
Trusting God brings a supernatural rest into our souls,
allowing us to live simply and freely, the way He wants us to
live. Trust doesn't just appear in our lives, but grows as we
take steps of faith and experience God's faithfulness. Ask
God to help you develop a deep trust of Him so He can show
you all He has planned for your life.
92
The Person Who Lives Inside You
"Keep your heart pure. A pure heart is necessary to see
God in each other. If you see God in each other, there is love
for each other, then there is peace."
-- MOTHER TERESA

---

Since by your obedience to the Truth through the [Holy]
Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection
of the brethren, [see that you] love one another fervently
from a pure heart.
--1 Peter 1:22
We all have someone living inside us. He is called the
hidden man of the heart, and if we are going to enjoy life,
we must like that person. The importance of a right heart
cannot be overestimated. God looks on the heart of man; He
despises an evil heart but loves a righteous one. God
delights in a person who wants to do what is right even if he
does not always succeed. I believe God would rather have
someone with a right heart who makes mistakes, than
someone who has a perfect performance but holds on to a
wicked heart.
God also delights in a peaceful heart, one not anxious or
upset. Having peace in our hearts proves we are truly
trusting God in all matters pertaining to life that concern us.
When our hearts lean one way inside of us, but we ignore
that sign and pretend to feel another way or act in a way
that's not true to who we really are, it makes life extremely
complicated. We have to pretend in everything, which
certainly keeps life from being simple. Have you ever heard
the phrase "Pure and Simple"? I used to keep a sign on my
desk with that statement on it because I wanted to remind
myself--if I wanted a simple life, I had to keep a pure heart.
Get to know the hidden man of the heart. Do some soul-
searching and ask yourself if what you show people is the
real you or someone else you have invented. If you need a
change then begin by asking God to purify your heart. Start
by examining your thoughts and attitudes. Facing truth is
not always easy, but it is the beginning of having a life
really worth living.
93
Don't Be Discouraged with Yourself

---

"Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of
all obstacles, discouragement, and impossibilities: It is this,
that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the
weak."
-- THOMAS CARLYLE
Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly
spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though
our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting
away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed
day after day.
--2 Corinthians 4:16
Babies learn to walk by taking one step at a time, and
while they learn, they frequently fall down. This process
takes place over and over again until they finally learn to
walk. If they became so discouraged they quit trying, they
would never learn to walk. We may get discouraged, but
when we do, we must remember everyone goes through the
same types of things. These things are often designed to
check our character and faith. Will we give up or will we get
up and try again? The Bible says the righteous man falls
seven times and rises again. You see, even righteous men
fall. None of us manifests perfection while we are in fleshly
bodies.
When God gives us instructions, He often only shows us
one step to take. It's natural for us to want the entire
blueprint, but that's not how God works. If we take that one
step, then we are given another and another until we finally
reach our destination. Many people refuse to take one until
they think they have their entire future figured out; these
are the people who usually end up as failures in life.
Even those willing to take these important steps one step
at a time will make mistakes and have to try again. Those
who get discouraged with themselves and quit somewhere
along the way will live miserable, fruitless lives. But it
doesn't have to be that way. If we say we trust God, we

---

must trust Him all along the way. It is not about the
destination as much as it is about the journey.
Discouragement is complicated because it comes with a
load of other negative emotions. Faith, on the other hand, is
very simple. We do what we can do and trust God to do
what we cannot. This attitude leaves us free to enjoy life
and is the attitude God wants us to live with.
94
Be a Prisoner of Hope
"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul,
and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at
all."
-- EMILY DICKENSON
Return to the stronghold [of security and prosperity], you
prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I will restore
double your former prosperity to you.
--Zechariah 9:12
The Bible mentions prisoners of hope (see Zechariah
9:12). What is that? I believe it is someone who absolutely
refuses to stop hoping no matter how desperate his
circumstances are. Prisoners of hope are swept up and
locked in to hope; they just can't get away from it. They
must hope in God and believe something good is going to
happen.
I think Abraham must have been a prisoner of hope. The
Bible tells us he had no human reason to hope, yet he
hoped, in faith, that the promise of God would manifest in
his life. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, and it causes
depression, discouragement, and despair. When you have
hope, you intentionally become positive in your thoughts
and attitudes. Hope also talks positively. Hope believes all
things are possible with God and it expects good news at
any moment. Hope says, "Something good is going to
happen to me today."
A positive attitude makes life simpler. It relieves pressure
and puts a smile on your face. It is the attitude God wants

---

us to have so He can work His will in our life. If we are going
to walk with God, we must agree with Him. After all, He
knows the thoughts and plans He has for us, thoughts of
welfare and peace, to give us hope in our final outcome (see
Jeremiah 29:11).
95
Resist the Devil
"The meanest thing in the world is the devil."
-- HENRY WARD BEECHER
So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against
him], and he will flee from you.
--James 4:7
God's Word teaches us that if we submit ourselves to God
and resist the devil, he will flee (see James 4:7). If we don't
resist the devil's lies and temptations, he will eventually rule
over us in every area. He is an aggressive enemy and we
must not be passive about resisting him.
The devil wants our lives to be miserable and
complicated. He wants to steal our joy, our peace, and
every good thing Jesus died to give us. Decide today that
you will exercise your rights as a child of God and enjoy the
life He wants you to have. We often think if something is
God's will for us, it will just automatically happen, but that is
not true. We need to exercise our faith, which includes
resisting the devil.
If you heard someone breaking into your home in the
middle of the night, would you just lie in bed and assume
God would take care of it? No, of course you wouldn't. You
would jump out of bed, get something to use for protection,
pray, and try to call for help. If you needed to, you would
aggressively protect yourself and your family from the
intruder. Why don't we behave the same way when the devil
tries to break into our lives and steal God's good plan?
It is time to be more aggressive. If we stay on the attack
we won't spend so much time under attack. Remember that
God in you is greater than any enemy you have. The simple

---

thing to do is resist the devil at his onset. The longer you
wait, the more of a foothold he will gain.
96
Stay Spiritually Strong
"Sometimes the miracle of moving mountains is God
granting you the strength to keep shoveling."
-- SHANE LITTLEFIELD
The strong spirit of a man sustains him in bodily pain or
trouble.
--Proverbs 18:14
Don't wait until you are in the middle of a terrible ordeal
and then try to quickly get strong in spirit. It doesn't work
that way. You must build up your reserves over time by
spending the necessary time with God regularly, praying
and studying His Word. It's foolish to wait until you need to
pick up something heavy and then quickly try to build some
muscle. You would never start working out at the gym one
day and expect to lift three times your weight the next. We
know we must build up muscle to pick up heavy things, and
we should also know we must build spiritual strength to
endure the trials of life without weakening.
I have discovered if I stay spiritually strong, many things
no longer bother me, and in some cases, these were things
that once upset me for days at a time. They were able to
upset me because I wasn't strong enough in God to resist
them properly or to even look at them in a right way. Our
mind-set toward life's challenges has a lot to do with how
we handle them and how they affect us emotionally. A man
in the Bible named Joseph was sold into slavery by his own
brothers, but he said that what the enemy meant for his
harm, God intended for his good (see Genesis 50:20). He
had a right attitude because he had a great relationship
with God. He stayed spiritually strong at all times and
experienced one victory after another.
Always being under condemnation, having a burden, or
experiencing loss of peace or joy is very complicated and

---

requires all our attention. It may seem like hard work to stay
spiritually strong, but it is actually much simpler than
always feeling overwhelmed by what is going on in life. Be
strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (see
Ephesians 6:10).
97
Be Faithful
"He who is faithful over a few things is a lord of cities. It
does not matter whether you preach in Westminster Abbey,
or teach a ragged class, so you be faithful. The faithfulness
is all."
-- GEORGE MACDONALD
Many a man proclaims his own loving-kindness and
goodness, but a faithful man who can find?
--Proverbs 20:6
Being faithful and seeing things through to completion is
something very few people seem to know how to do. One
may think giving up on something is easier, but the truth is,
not living up to commitments can really complicate life.
Unfaithful people end up with a lot of unfinished projects
and a lifetime of making constant changes in job, church,
relationships, and other important decisions. In reality, all
these changes end up being more difficult than if people
were faithful to begin with and finished what they started.
Even when it comes to marriage, many people give up
when the going is rough; they get a divorce and soon they
marry someone else and the cycle starts all over again. I
always tell people to remember that even if the grass is
greener on the other side, it will still need to be mowed. The
fact is, any relationship worth having will have some
imperfections and need some work. If we cannot work
through conflict, we will never have good relationships.
If Dave had given up on me in the early years of our
marriage, I might not be teaching God's Word all over the
world today. Many people are what I call "diamonds in the
rough." They have tremendous capability, and all they need

---

is for someone to stick with them while they are shaped and
polished. God is faithful and we need to be the same way. I
encourage you to pray long and hard before you give up on
anything. There may be a few times in life when quitting
something is the only option, but quite often, giving up is
the devil's trick to keep us frustrated and miserable. Stay
faithful to what you've promised to do and believe that God
will reward you for it.
98
Check Your Outlook
"Positive anything is better than negative nothing."
-- ELBERT HUBBARD
My trust and assured reliance and confident hope shall
be fixed in Him.
--Hebrews 2:13
What is your outlook on life? With what mind-set do you
approach life? I want to remind you of something I said
earlier in this book-our problem isn't life itself; it is our
approach to living that causes us the most difficulty. Two
people can have the same problem and one will be happy
while the other is depressed and miserable. This tells me
what's wrong isn't the problem itself; it's the way the
problem is viewed-the approach--that's the difference.
Our approach to life is our own decision, and nobody can
make us miserable if we decide we are going to be happy. If
someone we know makes a bad choice, that does not mean
we have to be miserable. Perhaps I have done my best in a
situation, but a friend is still angry and dissatisfied. Does
their bad attitude mean I now have to lose my joy? No, of
course not! But I will have to decide not to let them steal my
joy or they will. They decide how they will approach life, and
I must also. They may decide to believe the worst, but I can
still decide to believe the best. It does not take a genius to
know which one of us is going to be happy and enjoy life.
Let me ask again--what is your outlook on life? Are you
positive, always believing the best, and ready to show

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mercy and forgiveness to those who hurt you? Or are you
depressed, discouraged, and discontent because everything
didn't go the way you hoped? Pick your battles wisely and
you will enjoy a life of simplicity. It is easier to have a
positive outlook than it is to have a negative one.
99
With Humility Comes Peace and Power
"If thou desire the love of God and man, be humble, for
the proud heart, as it loves none but itself, is beloved of
none but itself. Humility enforces where neither virtue, nor
strength, nor reason can prevail."
-- FRANCIS QUARLES
And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome
(fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to
everyone and mild-tempered [preserving the bond of
peace]; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient
and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong.
- 2
Timothy 2:24
Animosity is a wedge between individuals that opens a
door for the devil to bring destruction. It is a negative
emotion which complicates our lives and hurts our hearts
and the hearts of others.
One of the ways to avoid animosity is to stay awayfrom
trifling, ill-informed controversies. When a person feels the
need to always tell everyone what they think they know,
they prove they really don't know anything at all. If they did,
they would know they need to listen more than they talk.
The Bible says contention only comes by pride. That means
people cannot fight and argue unless pride is present.
Humility is the doorway to a simple, yet powerful life,
lived joyfully. Humble yourself under God's mighty hand that
He may exalt you in due time (see 1 Peter 5:6). Put on the
same attitude and humble mind that Christ had (see
Philippians 2:5). Humility values peace even more than
trying to prove one is right. Humility is the highest virtue
and a trait that must be sought ardently. It is also an open

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door to promotion and exaltation from God. A servant of
God who avoids strife by being humble is someone who will
enjoy a life of peace and power.
100
Let Discipline Be Your Friend
"The secret of discipline is motivation. When a man is
sufficiently motivated, discipline will take care of itself."
-ALEXANDER PATTERSON
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice,
of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given
us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-
balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
-2 Timothy 1:7
The word discipline usually causes people to groan, but it
actually should be seen as a good friend that helps us get
what we want in life. Discipline helps us do what we know
we should do, but probably will not do without help.
Discipline helps us! You maybe thinking,
Yes, but it sure hurts.
That is true, but it also brings order, good fruit, and
eventually freedom.
One thing that hurts worse than learning discipline is a
life that is a never-ending complicated mess. The pain of
change is always better than the agony of never changing.
Ask yourself if you would rather feel bad and be weak all
your life, or instead, discipline yourself to exercise and enjoy
feeling healthy and strong? Would you like to continue
eating junk food and have bad health, or discipline yourself
for changing to a healthier lifestyle and enjoy good health
and long life? Would you like to be out of debt and be able
to pay cash for what you need? Then you must discipline
yourself to live within your means. Would you like your
home to be neat, clean, and in order? If so, you must
discipline yourself to keep it that way. It won't happen by
any other means.

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JOYCE MEYER is one of the world's leading practical Bible
teachers. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, she has
written more than seventy inspirational books, including The
Confident Woman; Look Great, Feel Great, the entire Battle-
field of the Mind family of books, and many others. She has
also released thousands of audio teachings as well as a
complete video library. Joyce's Enjoying Everyday Life ®
radio and television programs and broadcast around the
world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences.
Joyce and her husband, Dave, are the parents of four grown
children and make their home in St. Louis, Missouri.